Spring lock



Feb. 3, 1959 H. M. PIKER ET Al.

SPRING LOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 2, 19,55

Feb. 3, 1959 H.. M. PIKER ET AL 2,872,066

SPRING LOCK Flled May 2, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 U Kill INVENTOR. Hmsfr MP/KER BY /hv//v J. ScHz/T/JE/ss 'United rates Patent SPRING LOCK HerbertM. Piker, Wyoming, and Alvin J. Schultheiss,

Hamilton, `Ohio, assignors to Hamilton-Skotch Corporation, a corporationof Ohio Application May 2, 1955, Serial No. 505,216 12 Claims. (Cl. '22055) This invention relates to a spring lock such as are mounted on metalboxes for retaining the cover or lid in a closed position.

Spring locks in and of themselves for the purpose above set forth arewell known. In the past, however, the said locks were attached to theboxes by permanent securing means which not only required a machineoperation for securing the lock in operative position but required. thepreparation of the box for the lock and the complete assembly of thelock prior to its application or attachment to the box.

The spring lock of the present invention has its several parts assembledsimultaneously with the attachment of the lock to the box, therebymaterially saving time and effort in the assembly and attachment of thelock and box.

The present improved lock, further, cooperates with the box cover or lidfor securing it in a closed position without the use of a keeper forcooperation with the lock, per se. This construction, therefore, furthereliminates the production of a keeper and its subsequent attachment tothe box lid or cover.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the present-invention toprovide an improved spring lock for boxes having hingedly mountedthereon a lid or cover and which lock retains the lid or cover in itsclosed position.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a spring lock whichincorporates means for securing a cover or lid in a closed positionwithout the use of extraneous parts, such as a lock keeper, as was thecase with structures heretofore known.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a spring lockthat incorporates means for attaching same to the box through the use ofthe spring which normally biases the lock arm of said spring lock.

A still :fur-ther and specific object of this invention is the provisionof a spring lock that will accomplish the foregoing objects and whichmay be economically produced and acquired for making possible theeconomic production of metal boxes which have hingedly connected theretoa lid or cover.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readilyapparent by reference to the following specification considered inconjunction with the accom` panying drawings forming a part thereof, andit is to be understood that 'any modications may be made in the exactstructural details there shown and described, within the scope of theappended claims, without departing from or exceeding the spirit of theinvention.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of al box having mounted thereon aspring lock of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view through thelock of the present invention as seen from line 2 2 on Fig. l.

v Fig. 3 is a transverse fragmentary sectional view through the lock ofthe present invention as seen from line 3 3 on Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevational view of the lock as illustrated in Fig. 2with the housing thereof in cross section as seen from line 4 4 on saidFig. 2. l

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the several parts or elements which makeup or constitute the lock.

Fig. 6 'is a cross sectional View similar to Fig. 2 showing the improvedspring lock of the present invention applied to a modifiedV form of abox.

Fig. 7 is a View partly in section and vpartly in elevation of the boxof Fig. 6 showing the spring lock in operative position thereon as seenfrom line 7 7 on said Fig. 6. l A

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating thespring lock of the present invention in connection with a furthermodified box construction.

Fig. 9 is a View similar to Fig. 7 partly in section and partly inelevation illustrating the box of Fig. S with the spring lock inoperative position as seen from line 9 9 on said Fig. 8.

Throughout the several views of the drawings similar referencecharacters are employed to denote the same or similar parts.

The improved spring lock of the present invention has application tovarious kinds and types of boxes and is not limited in its applicationto the specific box disclosed in the drawings.

As illustrated in the drawings the box comprises the lower portion orbox proper 10 on the upper end of which is mounted the cover or lid 11.The said cover or lid 11 may have upwardly struck therefrom hinge lugs12 and 13 for a carrying handle 14. The said cover or lid 11 is hingedlysecured along its rear edge to the upper end of the box proper 10, notshown.

The box proper has the upper ends of the front back and sides eachinwardly offset to be received within the lower edge of the cover or lid11,`as specically illustrated in Fig. 2. As shown in said Fig. 2 theboxrfront 15 has its upper end inwardly oifset as` -at 16 therebyproviding a shoulder 17. The lid or cover 11 is provided with adepending front flange 18 from the top panel 19 with saididependingfront 18 having its lower end turned or rolled on itself 'to provide abead 20 as illustrated in Fig. 2; the bead 20, when the cover or lid 11is in its closed position, is disposed on the box shoulder 17. Y

Just below the shoulder 17, the box front 15 is provided With arectangular aperture or opening 21 in which is disposed or mounted thespring lock of the present invention, indicated in its entirety by thereference numeral 22. Y

The lock 22 comprises a housingV 23 having a front 24 from whichprojects a top wall 25, a bottom wall 26 and side walls 27 and`28.vThekbottom wall 25 is provided with an upper portion 29 thereby formingwithin the housing 23 a shoulder 30. The side walls 27 and 28 of thehousing 23 are laterally extended as rvertical side wall flanges 31 and32. V y y The housing 23 has an exterior dimension to vfreely passthrough the rectangular opening 21'in the box front 15 and is adapted tobe disposed outwardly of the said box 10 to have the lock housingilanges 31 and 32 engaging the inner face of the box front 15, as mostclearly illustrated in Fig. 3. The lock housing is provided in each ofits side walls 27 and 28 with a tapering notch aperture or passageway 33and 34 with said notches extending around into the housing front 24, asillustrated at 35 and 36.

Disposed within the lockhousing through the notches or apertures 33 and34 are trunnions 37 and 38 of a lock arm or hasp 39. As illustrated inFig. 5, the lock arm or hasp 39 is substantially U-shaped and hasextending from each of the trunnions 37 and 38, an arm 40 and 41Y havingtheir upper Vends joined by a linger piece and Patented Feb. 3, 1353 3latching bar 42. Downwardly of the linger piece and latching bar 42, thebody portion of the lock arm is laterally displaced providing a lockingor latching lug 43. The locking or latching lug 43 is preferably formedby punching or stamping the body portion of the lock arm' to one sidethereof, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and thereby providing a latching faceor nose 44 at the lower end of the latching lug 43.

The locking arm trunnions 37 and 38 have their inner ends spaced fromone another a distance to permit the passage therebetween of the housingfront located between the inner ends of said housing front notches 35and 36. The lock arm and the lock housing are connected with one anotherby positioning the said lock arm, while exteriorly of the housing, at apoint 90 removed from the position illustrated in Fig. 2 whereupon thesaid lock arm is actuated to pass its trunnions through the front walland side walls apertures 33-36 and upon the said lock arm trunnionscontacting the bottoms of the lock housing side walls apertures 33 and34 the lock arm is arranged in the position illustrated in Fig. 2, or,if desired, in a position 180 removed from said position. The lock armand lock housing are then connected with one another through a springindicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 45 in Fig. 5.

The spring 45 is substantially rectangular in plan having a central bodyportion 46 from the lower ends of which project spring fingers 47 and 4Sand which lingers are slightly biased at their lower ends, as from line49 on each of them. The spring body portion 46 has a similar pair offingers 50 and 51 projecting from its upper edge but which fingers 50and 51 instead of extending in substantially the same plane as thespring body portion are outwardly bent, as at 52, with the outer ends ofsaid lingers reversely bent, as at 53. The bends 52 of each springlinger 50 and 51 is such that the ends of said fingers, particularly thebends 53 thereof, are materially offset from the body portion 46 to theextent that the saine takes up substantially all of the remaining roomwithin the lock housing 23 between the lock arm trunnions 37 and 38 andthe lock housing front 24, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2.

The spring 45 is inserted in operative position by disposing its curvedspring lingers 53 against the inner surface of the lock housing front 24whereupon said spring is pushing into said housing until itssubstantially straight spring lingers 47 and 48 snap down onto thehousing bottom shoulder 30. At this time the spring tension against thelock arm trunnions 37 and 38 is such as to retain the lock arm in itsoperative position under considerable force as illustrated in Fig. 2. j

It should be noted that the relationship of the parts is such that withthe latch in the position of Fig. 2 its latching face or shoulder 44 ofthe holding lug 43 is on the upper surface of the cover or lid bead forthereby forcing said cover into its closed position by forcing the saidbead 20 against the-shoulder 17 of the box proper.

The box illustrated in Fig. 6 differs from that illustrated in Figs. land 2 in that when the cover or lid is in a closed position the frontflange of the lid and the front wall of the box proper are flush withone another in a vertical plane.

Specifically, the lid or cover 11 has its front flange 18' with itslower end inwardly rolled to form the bead 20 at the lower end of saidcover front flange to be inwardly of the lid or cover. When the saidcover 3.1 is closed, as illustrated in Fig. 6, its bead 20 rests on theshoulder 17 at the upper end of the box front 15.

In order that the spring lock 22 of the present invention may have itslocking or latching lug 43 operatively engage the lid or cover 11 thesaid lid or cover front ange 18 is provided with a louver-like openingthereby providing the projection to be engaged by the latching lug 43.Specifically, this construction comprises splitting the cover frontflange 18 just above its bead 20 on the line asvaoee Cil 4 54 andinwardly bending the material 55 above the slit line 54 to provide, ineffect, a socket 56 in the cover front liange 18. This constructionexposes the interior bead 2() of the cover for the length of the slit,and provides, in effect, a projection 57 with which the latching nose 44of the latching lug engages in holding the lid or cover 11 closed, allas clearly illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7.

The construction illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 discloses the use of theimproved spring lock 22 of the present invention with the so-calledwater shed construction of boxes. This construction, as illustrated,comprises the box proper lll having its front wall l5 devoid of an upperinwardly disposed flange, having instead said front wall 15 with itsupper end outwardly rolled to form a bead 53.

The lid or cover 11" in the construction in Figs. 8 and 9 comprises saidlid or cover front flange 18 as having its lower end outwardly turned asat 59 and then downwardly disposed as at 60, thereby, in effect,providing a seating shoulder 59 at the lower end of the cover frontflange 18" and a sheath or skirt 60 for the joint between the box properl0 and the cover or lid 11".

As clearly illustrated in Fig. 8 the outwardly turned portion orshoulder 59 of the box lid provides a perfect abutment or projection forengagement by the latch arm latching nose 44 of the latching lug 43.

The improved spring lock 22 is mounted on the front wall 15 of theconstruction in Figs. 8 and 9 in the same manner as it is mounted on theconstruction in Figs. 1 and 2 and as completely set forth above.

From the foregoing it will be noted that prior to assembling the lock,the lock housing was first mounted in the box aperture 21 with the lidor cover open. The lock arm is next mounted in position by inserting itstrunnions 7 and 33 into and through the tapered apertures 33--36 of thelock housing and the said locking arm either positioned as illustratedin Fig. 2 or at a point substantially removed, that is, with the lockarm extending downwardly instead of upwardly as illustrated. The spring45 is then mounted in its operative position and thereby not onlytensions the lock arm but securely fastens the entire locking mechanismin operative position on the box front wall 15.

What is claimed is:

l. In a device in the class described the combination of a box having afront, a cover hingedly connected to the box actuable from an open to aclosed position and including a front flange adapted to be disposed atthe upper end of the box front, said box front having an aperturetherethrough downwardly of its upper end, a spring lock including ahousing projecting through the box front aperture to the exteriorthereof, flanges from the lock housing engaging the box front innersurface laterally of its aperture, a lock arm pivotally carried by thelock housing, a spring within the lock housing tensioning the lock armand securing the said lock housing in operative position by outwardlyholding said lock housing to securely hold its flanges against the boxfront inner surface, and cooperating means on said lock arm and coverfor securing said cover in a closed position.

2. In a device of the class described the combination of a box having afront with an inwardly projecting shoulder at its upper end, a coverhingedly connected to the box actuable from a open to a closed positionand including a front flange having an outward projection at its freeend disposed on the box front shoulder, said box front having anaperture therethrough downwardly of its shoulder, a spring lockincluding a housing projecting through the box front aperture to theexterior thereof, flanges outwardly projecting from the lock housingengaging the inner surface of the box front adjacent its aperture, alock arm pivotally carried by the lock housing, a spring within the lockhousing yieldably tensioning the lock arm and securing the lock housingin operative po sition by securing the housing flanges against the boxfront, and means on said lock arm for engagementwith the coverprojection for securing said cover in a closed position.

3. In a device of the class described the combination of a box having afront with an inwardly projecting shoulder at its upper end, a coverhingedly connected to the box actuable from an open to a closed positionand including a front flange having an outwardly projecting bead at itsfree end disposed on the box front shoulder, said box front having anaperture therethrough downwardly of its shoulder, a spring lockincluding a housing projecting through the box front aperture to theexterior thereof, flanges outwardly projecting from the lock housingengaging the inner surface of the box front adjacent its aperture, alock arm pivotally carried by the lock housing, a spring within the lockhousing yieldably tensioning the lock arm and securing the lock housingin operative position by securing the housing flanges against the boxfront, and means on said lock arm for engagement with the cover bead forsecuring said cover in a closed position.

4. In combination, a box wall having an aperture therethrough and aspring lock comprising a housing for attachment to the box wallincluding a front having rearwardly projecting therefrom side walls, anupper end wall and a lower end wall with flanges laterally projectingfrom the side walls, said lock housing projecting through the box wallaperture to have the side walls lateral anges thereof engaging the boxfront adjacent the aperture, a lock arm including trunnions within thehousing, and a spring within the housing having a portion engaging thehousing front and a portion engaging the lock arm trunnions foroutwardly holding the housing and clamping the box front between thelock housing anges and lock arm trunnions for securing the spring lockin operative position and tensioning the lock arm.

5. In combination, a box wall having an aperture therethrough and aspring lock comprising a housing for attachment to the box wallincluding a front having rearwardly projecting therefrom side walls, anupper end wall and a lower end wall with flanges laterally projectingfrom the side walls, said lock housing projecting through the box wallaperture to have the side walls lateral flanges thereof engaging the boxfront adjacent the aperture, a lock arm including trunnions within thehousing, said vhousing having notches in its sides and front throughwhich the lock arm trunnions pass to be interior of the housing, and aspring within the housing having a portion engaging the housing frontand a portion engaging the lock arm trunnions for outwardly holding thehousing and clamping the box front between the housing flanges and lockarm trunnions for securing the spring lock in operative position andtensioning the lock arm.

6. In combination, a box wall having an aperture therethrough and aSpring lock comprising a housing having a front wall and side walls, atop wall and a bottom wall rearwardly projecting from the front wall, aflange laterally projecting from two opposite of said walls, said lockhousing being inserted through the aperture in the box wall to have itsflanges against one face of the box wall laterally of the aperture andits side walls, top wall, bottom wall and front projecting ahead of theother face of the box wall, a lock hasp including at one end a latch barwith depending arms from the ends of the latch bar that straddle thelock housing, inwardly projecting trunnions from the free ends of thedepending arms disposed through the housing side walls to be inwardly ofthe housing, and a leaf spring including a body portion and springfingers from its opposite ends with said leaf spring body portionengaging the lock hasp trunnions and the spring fingers engaging thehousing front for outwardly projecting said housing and clamping thehousing flanges against the box front.

7. In combination, a box wall having an aperture therethrough and aspring lock comprising a housing having a front wall and side walls, atop wall and a bottorn wall rearwardly projecting from the front Wall, aflange laterally projecting from two opposite of said walls, said lockhousing being inserted through the aperture in the box wall to have itsflanges against one face of the box wall laterally of the aperture andits side walls, top wall, bottom wall and front projecting ahead of theother face of the box wall, a lock hasp including at one end a latch barwith depending arms from the ends of the latch bar that straddle thelock housing, inwardly projecting trunnions from the free ends of thedepending arms disposed through the housing side walls to be inwardly ofthe housing, a leaf spring including a body portion and spring fingersfrom its opposite ends with said left spring body portion engaging thelock hasp trunnions and the spring fingers engaging the housing frontfor outwardly projecting said housing and clamping t-he housing flangesagainst the box front, and said housing bottom wall including a shoulderfor engagement by the leaf spring fingers to anchor same againstdisplacement.

8. ln combination, a box wall having an aperture therethrough and aspring lock comprising a housing having a frontwall and side walls, atop wall and a bottom wall rearwardly projecting from the front wall, aange laterally projecting from two opposite of said walls, said lockhousing being inserted through the raperture in the box wall to have itsflanges against one face of the box wall laterally of the aperture andits side Walls, top Wall, -bottom .wall and front projecting ahead ofthe other face of the box wall, a lock hasp including at one end a latchbar with depending arms from the ends of the latch bar that straddle thelock housing, inwardly projecting trunnions from the free ends of thedepending arms disposed through the housing slide walls to be inwardlyof the housing, said housing side walls and front having formedtherethrough notches through which the lock hasp trunnions are ldisposedinwardly of the housing, and a leaf spring including a body portion andspring fingers from its opposite ends with said leaf spring body portionengaging the lock hasp trunnions and the spring fingers engaging thehousing front for outwardly projecting said housing and clamping thehousing flanges against the box front.

9. In combination, a box wall having an aperture therethrough and aspring lock comprising a housing having a front wall and side walls, atop wall and a bottom wall rearwardly projecting from the front wall, aflange laterally projecting from two opposite of said walls, said lockhousing being inserted through the aperture in the box wall to have itsflanges against one face of the box wall laterally of the aperture andits side walls, top wall, bottom wall and front projecting ahead of theother face of the box wall, a lock hasp including at one end a latch barwith depending arms from the ends of the latch bar that straddle thelock housing, inwardly projecting trunnions from the free ends of thedepending arms disposed through the housing side walls to be inwardly ofthe housing, said housing side walls and front having formedtherethrough notches through which the lock hasp trunnions are disposedinwardly of the housing, a leaf spring including a Ibody portion andspring fingers from its opposite ends with said leaf spring body portionengaging the lock hasp trunnions and the spring fingers, engaging thehousing front for outwardly projecting said housing and clamping thehousing flanges against the box front, and said housing bottom wallincluding a shoulder for engagement by the leaf spring fingers to anchorsame against displacement.

l0. In combination, a box wall having an aperture therethrough and aspring lock comprising a housing having a front wall and side walls, atop wall and a bottom wall rearwardly projecting from the front wall, aflange laterally projecting from two opposite of said walls, said lockhousing being inserted through the aperture in the box wall to have itsflanges against one side of the box wall laterally of the aperture andits side Walls, top wall,

bottom wall and front projecting ahead of the other face of the boxWall, a lock hasp including at one end a latch bar with depending armsfrom the ends of the latch bar that straddle the lock housing, inwardlyprojecting trunnions from the free ends of the depending arms disposedthrough the housing side walls to be inwardly of the housing, a leafspring including a body portion and spring fingers from its oppositeends with said leaf spring body portion engaging the lock hasp trunnionsand the spring lingers engaging the housing front for outwardlyprojecting said housing and clamping the housing flanges against the boxfront, and an offset latohing nose carried by the latch bar.

11. In a device of the class described the combination of a box having afront with an inwardly projecting shoulder at its upper end, a coverconnected to the box actuable from an open to a closed position andincluding a front ange having an inwardly projecting bead at its freeend disposed on the box front shoulder, said cover having formed in itsfront flange a louver-like opening to provide a socket with a projectionon the box front shoulder at the bottom of its said front flange, saidbox front having an aperture therethrough downwardly of its shoulder, aspring lock including a housing projecting through the box frontaperture to the exterior thereof, flanges outwardly projecting from thelock housing engaging the inner surface of the box front adjacent itsaperture, a lock arm pivotally carried by the lock housing, a springwithin the lock housing yieldably tensioning the lock arm and securingthe lock housing in operative position by securing the housing flangesagainst the box front, and means on said lock arm disposed in the coversocket for engagement with its projection for securing said cover in aclosed position.`

12. In a device of the class described the combination of a box having afront with an outwardly projecting bead at its upper end, a coverhingedly connected with the box actuable from an open to a closedposition and including a front llange having at its lower end anoutwardly projecting shoulder disposed on the box front bead, a skirtdepending from the shoulder to be outwardly of the box front bead, saidbox front having an aperture therethrough downwardly of its bead, aspring lock including a housing projecting through the box frontaperture to the exterior thereof, flanges outwardly projecting from thelock housing engaging the inner surface of the box front adjacent itsaperture, a lock arm pivotally carried by the lock housing, a springwithin the lock housing yieldably tensioning the lock arm and securingthe lock housing in operative position by securing the housing flangesagainst the box front, and means on said lock arm for engagement withthe cover outwardly projecting shoulder for securing said cover in aclosed position` References Cited in the file of this patent UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 123,837 Patterson Feb. 20, 1872 532,042 Eichbauer Jan. 8,1895 693,543 Goldsmith Feb. 18, 1902 1,473,011 Chrstophel Nov. 6, 19231,540,489 Meltzer June 2, 1925 FOREIGN PATENTS 129,944 Great BritainJuly 24, 1919 105,677 Switzerland July 1, 1924

